System and method for upgrading the remote control functionality of a device

Abstract

A system and method for upgrading remote control application resident on a device. To this end, a markup language file is created. The markup language file has a representation of information used to setup the remote control application to communicate with an appliance. The markup language file may be executed, on the device or an intermediate client with which the device is synchronized, to upload the representation of the information to a remote server. At the remote server, the uploaded information is used to automatically display user-selectable, downloadable data files relevant to the control of the appliance. Downloaded data files, which may include command codes and/or graphical user interface elements, may be used within the device to upgrade the ability of the remote control application to communicate with the appliance. The information uploaded to the server may also be used to generate demographic data regarding consumer preferences.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for downloading configuration data for use in connection with a remote control application resident on a device, comprising:
 receiving at a server device a request to download configuration data for at least one appliance to be commanded through use of the remote control application resident on the device; 
 using a serial number associated with the device at the server device to encrypt the configuration data for the at least one appliance to be commanded through use of the remote control application resident on the device; and 
 downloading the encrypted configuration data from the server device whereupon, after the encrypted configuration data is decrypted using the serial number associated with the device, the configuration data is available for use by the remote control application resident on the device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the serial number is provided to the server device during a Web site registration process. 
     
     
       3. The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the configuration data comprises codes for commanding functional operations of the at least one appliance when transmitted from the device through use of the remote control application resident on the device. 
     
     
       4. The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the configuration data comprises graphical user interface elements displayable within a display of the device, the graphical user interface elements providing a means for a user to interact with the remote control application resident on the device to initiate commanding of functional operations of the at least one appliance. 
     
     
       5. The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the remote control application reads the serial number from a memory of the device and provides the serial number to the server device.